This nice British lady is kind enough to do the math on what’s wrong with our thinking on immigration so you don’t have to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bJX5XHnONTI
The People’s Assembly looks set to be a historic event that will transform the anti-austerity movement in Britain. Already close to 3,000 people have registered to attend. Crucially we want the assembly to be focused around action.
The declaration represents the beginning of a democratic process leading towards a second People’s Assembly in early 2014. This declaration represents the views of all those who initially called for the People’s Assembly. We hope it will be endorsed by the People’s Assembly on 22nd June. It will then be open to the local People’s Assembly’s, union bodies and campaign groups who support the People’s Assembly to suggest amendments, additions, or deletions. These will then all be discussed and decided upon at the recall People’s Assembly in 2014.
The plans for action are simply the most obvious rallying points for a national anti-cuts movement for the remainder of 2013. They are not intended to supersede local or sectional action by existing campaigns or trade unions. They are intended to be focus national, collective action by the whole anti-austerity movement. Click here to see the draft declaration and action plan: http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/draft-statement/
Most of the day will be based on sub-assemblies, broken into three sessions during the course of the day. This will total around 15 individual sessions devoted to discussing various aspects of the cuts and the fightback against them. The full timetable of workshops and sessions at the People’s Assembly will be available by the end of next week.
Looking forward to seeing you on the 22 June!
People’s Assembly Against Austerity Hosted by People’s Assembly, Saturday, 22 June 2013 from 09:30 to 17:00 (BST) Central Hall Westminster, Storey’s Gate, Westminster, London SW1H 9NH
Mark Steel:
“At last, the Labour Party leaders are revealing their election strategy. They’ve announced they’ll stick to the current Government’s spending plans, and the current Government’s welfare cap. Next week, Ed Miliband will announce:“The British people are sick and tired of the way this Government runs the country, and that’s why we promise to do everything exactly the same. There are so many things they’ve ruined, which is why I assure you categorically we will keep ruining the same things. THAT is the exciting prospect we will be putting to the British people in 2015.”
As the election draws near, Labour will become more specific, until Miliband says: “To show how responsible we have become, we promise that if we win the election, for the first two years we’ll let the Tories carry on as the government. We’ll even go on holiday so as not to get in their way, on a cruise round the fjords so we won’t even be able to get back quickly if we get the urge. THAT is how much you can trust us with the economy.”
Many great inspiring speeches in the past have used this technique. That’s why so many people were moved by Martin Luther King, when he said: “I have a dream, to keep everything pretty much as it is. I have looked into the valley, brothers and sisters, and seen a world in which we don’t bother trying to change any of the laws as they’re all in place now, and you don’t want to get a reputation for making a fuss. Will you join me in that struggle, my people, will you join me?” “
‘We need to provide the Occupy Gezi protestors with practical solidarity, Green Party members and all those concerned with human rights and environmental protection, should support Turkey’s protest movement.’
‘It is important to listen to the voices of the protesters especially in the form of social media such as blogs and twitter’
The Turkish Green Party is active in the Gezi movement, “This is an uprising, a protest against the increasing bans,” said Michelle Demishevich, an activist and member of Turkey’s Green Party. “Perhaps just like we saw the Arab Spring, this will be the Turkish Spring”.
Barış Türkiye
Support this Amnesty International action: http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLQPAJiJUG&b=6645049&aid=519905&msource=W1306EACPR1
(Currently only through AIUSA)
| Wales could become the first UK nation to have an independent watchdog with the power to stop the publication of some of its reports and to prosecute those who go against its wishes could mean complainants could face contempt of court charges if they go to the media with complaints about, for example, hospital or council services.Reports following an investigation are always anonymous with names of complainants and those associated with the complaint always removed. Currently, the ombudsman can choose not to publish reports but he does not have the power to stop a complainant speaking to the media. It is surely the duty of the justice system, not the ombudsman, to decide whether confidentiality outweighs public interest, and should remain so. The view of a complainant: This man had his complaint upheld by the Ombudsman: “I thought that the ombudsman was about empowering the common man or woman. He is there to allow someone to look outside of an organisation for redress.” “The fact that an organisation has to explain itself publicly is one of the things that helps to get their attention when you complain.” “Additionally, one of the things which made me go to the ombudsman was the knowledge that the things I had experienced were part of a bigger problem and I only knew that from information in the public domain.” “These proposals will inhibit complaint and rob the ordinary person of the only real power they have.” “How is the system going to get better unless enough other people can understand what has happened to me, share my outrage and demand that real change happens?” “These are our services, our organisations and yet they are out of control.” Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22772551 A lawyer’s opinion? Matthew Nicklin QC, a barrister for 5RB Chambers, said he thought the dangers were “obvious”. “The public expect an ombudsman’s service to operate with transparency,” he said. “You can’t have a service which operates behind closed doors because none of us would know what’s going on.” “I struggle to see how it can ever be right for the ombudsman to produce a report in private.” There have long been concerns about the National Assembly/Welsh Government’s implementation of Freedom of Information requests. This represents a charter to further cover up incompetence and wrong-doing. It needs resisting at all costs. |
The results of the Green Party Equality and Diversity membership survey are in, and some of the results are fascinating. 1100 members took the survey, a decent proportion of the party (especially for a voluntary questionnaire) and around the sample size of most polling.
Bearing in mind that non-compulsory surveys, especially online ones, generally over-represent wealthier people – those with more spare time on their hands and generally the most politically engaged – the findings are surprising.
Nearly a quarter – 23.4% – of Green Party members earn less than £10,000 a year. This category was by far the plurality – I.e. The largest group. Over 17% live on between £10-15k a year, another 12% between £15-20k and 10% between £20-25k – still below the average income nationally. In total, this means well over 60% of Greens earn below the median income of £26,500.
Since the median income, by definition, means there are around 50% on either side earning more or less, for 60% to be earning less than this in the party means Greens are actually over-representative of people from lower-income background.
Only 9% slotted into the top-rate of tax band of more than £45k a year, probably explaining why we’re so skint all the time. So the stereotype of the Greens as middle-class hippies seems just that: a stereotype.
Yet class is a messy concept, of course, and income isn’t always the best indicator. Occupation, background, housing type, education, culture – all are factors in many definitions of class. Sadly the survey didn’t look into all of these, but the figures for education are less surprising than income.
The proportion of members with a university degree is 57%, far above the national figure of 26%. Within the 57% figure (since you could tick more than one box), 37% of all respondents had a Masters, PhD or other ‘higher’ degree. A pretty huge figure. Given the stats earlier about income, it seems the Greens are becoming a party of the precariat – educated but poor, especially given a higher proportion of members compared to the general public who are private renters (20%) and living with family or friends (nearly 8%).
On the whole, this seems to be borne out by how members described themselves in class terms. 56% responded as ‘lower middle class’, and just under a quarter (23%) identified as ‘working class’ of some form or another.
Shout it loud – the Greens are becoming the true party of the working-class. Even if most of us are humus-eating Guardian readers.
Green Party members can view the full survey results by logging in here.
Josiah Mortimer is a student and Green Party activist based in York.
COMMENT from Andy Chyba (Bridgend Chair)
Interesting analysis from Josiah, but we are still a long way away from replacing Labour as the perceived party of the working class – especially here in South Wales. Where Josiah is correct is that we are very much the party whose policies best look after the interests of the working class, given the fact that Tory Blair has recast the Labour Party, ‘New Labour’, as red Tories. The figures above truly highlight that the Green Party is the home of the intellectually enlightened – but that still translates into a large percentage that still fit the old stereotypes very well!
This is why Green Left is so important within the greater Green Party. It is Green Left that challenges middle class members with middle class aspirations – the ecocapitalists. Our task, within Green Left, is to communicate the message and values of ecosocialism to the wider membership and – the ultimate challenge – to the wider public. Only then will we actually become the true party of the working-class.
| http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/20-best-pubs-wales-2013-4008538
Well done to The Coach for winning this accolade. As you will see from the top 20, in bold, we are blessed with numerous fine hostelries this side of Cardiff, and a good number in Cardiff too. It is a tough industry to succeed in these days, as witnessed by the number of pubs that have closed down. Those that survive have to work harder, and we should applaud those that go the extra mile and become an asset to their communities, while remaining drink aware ( www.drinkaware.co.uk ).
1. The Coach (Bridgend) https://www.facebook.com/thecoachbridgend |
| http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/entry/towards-a-welsh-industrial-strategy
KEY EXTRACTS: “In the face of globalisation, prolonged economic crisis and a skewed UK economy, Wales needs to look to itself to mobilise new sources of sustainable industrial investment.” “A Welsh industrial strategy must break with the past and seek to identify the strengths (and weaknesses) of the Welsh economy. It must build on successful initiatives by the Welsh government in the recession, but also on Waless particular economic geography and industrial structure. Crucially, in order to carry the necessary authority to deliver the strategy would require a government able to set central priorities for development.” “Key recommendations of the report include: Supporting infrastructure improvements where needed “In addition, an effective industrial strategy would require wide social and political support with clear social goals sustaining decent secure work and meeting pressing environmental needs.” Full report PDF: |
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